Of Gods and Demons
by Tinderbox of Sanity
Summary: AU. Some call him the Demon of Brennenburg. Other refer to him as the God of the Woods. Either way, the young apprentice archaeologist and historian Daniel finds himself offered as a sacrifice by foreign villagers.
1. Sacrifice

Warning: Contains dubious consent. If this is a trigger for you, please read no further.

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How could this be happening? It was all a nightmare, it had to be! A very long, terrible, and extremely surreal nightmare! Daniel was just a scholar, a lonely man who scraped by collecting old books and only associating with men who traveled the world! He'd never even found the courage to leave England for himself until just recently! And oh, how he now regretted it!

It had all sounded so thrilling! _Algeria_! He's spoken to men who'd traveled to places such as China before, so it wasn't even the distance that excited him. It was the _content _of the expedition! A search for the tomb of The Mother of Us All! Daniel was eager to learn about ancient theology behind the tomb, and to be the first to discover any new information which might lead to a new insight on the long-dead sociology. A friend had recommended him to the man who was leading it, who happened to be an elder gentleman by the name of Professor Herbert, and Daniel had hesitantly applied for a position. The questionnaire on the application had been worded very strangely, even going so far as to ask if he was a… a _virgin_! Embarrassed, but not wanting to lie, Daniel had written _yes._ To his shock he was accepted almost immediately, even though he knew he was nowhere near qualified enough!

There had been an…accident there, in Algeria. Daniel couldn't clearly remember everything, but it had been explained to him by Professor Herbert. A cave in had occurred, and they had lost many men. Daniel could remember screaming, and then the sound of rocks falling. It seemed that Daniel was the only one left with barely a scratch, aside from a nasty cut on his forehead. Herbert said he was lucky that it didn't require stitches! He didn't feel so lucky _now._

Daniel had been given all of the Professor's things, and told that he was to deliver them to Prussia. Prussia! He'd just left England for the first time and he was being told to run an errand countries away from here! He'd protested, said he barely knew any German; that he would get lost. The Professor had grabbed his arms tightly and told him very harshly that it would take months to clear out the damaged tomb. He said it was imperative that he bring the set of journals and small artifacts to Prussia as soon as possible—to a castle called Brennenburg.

During his journey to this mysterious castle, Daniel had tried as hard as he could to acquaint himself with the language. He knew some basics from his extensive reading (not everything was translated into English, unfortunately!). By the time he arrived in the village nearest to castle Brennenburg he was able to ask them for a room to stay for the night, as it was already evening, and he was exhausted from travel. Though they regarded the Englishman with the usual expected suspicion towards an outsider, there was something… _else _off about the townsfolk. Everyone seemed on edge, glancing around and speaking in whispers. It gave him the creeps.

When the question of where he was headed finally came down, he had answered it in an effort to be friendly—and perhaps to see if he could get a carriage, as he'd read that a thick wooded area stood between them and the castle. That was when everything seemed to have gone terribly, terribly wrong.

Daniel had lost one of his shoes about a mile back. The ground was cold and hard, rocks and twigs tearing his sock, and his foot was now bleeding. Every time he stumbled he was pulled to his feet by the men shoving him along, or pulled up to stand by the robe around his wrists or neck. Both of which were rubbed raw by now, burned by the crude rope rubbing against them. Six men accompanied him, and none of them gave even a moment's pause to the Englishman's stumbles or pleas for answers. It had all happened so fast!

A flurry of questions, words like _demon _and _god _standing out particularly. Daniel had been overwhelmed, unsure if he was even understanding them correctly! He had protested when they ripped into his luggage, and that had _really _set them off! And so here he was now, being 'escorted' through the forest 'just as he'd asked'. The sunlight was dying down behind them, and the men were getting frantic. They spoke of _Gatherers _and the _full moon, _and something about this being a special night. They were all grinning.

Finally they reached a large clearing in the otherwise dense forest. The trees here were nearly black, as if they had been dead for a very long time. They all reached up into the violet-colored sky with skeletons fingers, their twisted trunks giving off horrifying illusions of screaming faces. Daniel had nearly broken into sobs by this point, desperate for some sort of answer. A little over a month ago he had been at home in Mayfair, comfortably cooped up in his small apartment and reading a hundred year old book. There was a tall, thick pole in the center of the clearing, and that was where they drug him next.

Hands lifted above his head by men nearly twice his size and at least a head taller, Daniel could only fight to keep from hyperventilating as they were tied there. He stood as straight as he could as they stepped back then, using the pole behind him as support. "_Please,_" He begged them, out of breath. "_Please tell me… what this is all about_?" He was too confused to even realize that he had used English. There was a terrible sound suddenly, not unlike the bellow of a cow being slaughtered. He watched the men around him turn pale as ghosts, and they all turned and fled like rats from a sinking ship. "_No!_" Daniel cried out in dismay.

A cold wind blew, and Daniel shivered violently. His teeth were chattering in no time, and the sun had almost completely gone. The moon was rising; he could see it through the branches of the trees. What had gone wrong? How had it come to this? Why hadn't Herbert told him anything, and most importantly, why was he tied to a pole in the middle of the woods!

The echo of a scream reached the clearing of the woods suddenly, and Daniel swore his heart stopped. He jumped, turning his head to the direction that it had come from. That was a man's scream—and it wasn't alone. Several more cries of terror sounded, all from different directions. The voices became strained with agony soon enough and many of them ended abruptly. The most disturbing of them ended with a wet gargle, or a choking. Daniel was trembling from head to toe, nearly feeling faint, and very sick to his stomach. After a while, there was only silence.

The snap of a twig made Daniel turn his head so fast that his vision blurred, and he closed his eyes tightly. When he opened them seconds later, a figure was emerging. No, several figures. They were cloaked and hooded, and there appeared to be about three of them. They stood taller than Daniel, and they seemed… vaguely misshapen underneath those cloaks. He could _hear _them breathing, raspy and heavy, even though they stood a good ten feet away from him. Swallowing hard, his voice shook as he spoke in German. "P…please… I-I not speak b-big German. I-I was on town, then…" Another cold wind blew, rustling those cloaks. A hood fell from one of the figures, and the moonlight caught its face. Or, what _would _be its face. It was… _missing. _Daniel nearly lost his voice entirely, never so sure that he was dreaming as in this moment. He felt his consciousness fading as he stared at that gaping wound where a face should be, and darkness closed in.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Daniel was vaguely aware that there were hands on his body. He could feel a heaviness, a pressure across his chest and thighs. There was a tearing sound, and a sudden chill came across his bare skin. Wait a moment… _bare _skin? Opening his eyes swiftly, he closed them quickly after. The light was brighter here, surprisingly so. He knew he couldn't have been out long, because his foot still ached from all the twigs and rocks, and his body didn't have the heaviness it did when you slept for a long period of time. So it was still night then, right? There was a sharp pain across his hip, and Daniel cried out in surprise. He opened his eyes again, only to wish he hadn't.

The creature he had seen before was there, and another had joined it. They wore no cloaks or hoods here, so all of them was visible. This new creature had something which might resemble half of a face, but the rest of it was nothing but loose skin. Their breath was heavy and wheezing, coming out with gargles and grunts. He was suddenly very aware that this second creature had its hand on him, and he glanced down to see the terrifying blades grafted onto that club of a hand. His hip was stinging from the shallow gash it had created when apparently cutting through his belt. Its other hand seemed almost normal, and it was with the help of that one that the creature jerked Daniel's ruined pants down.

"_D-don't_!" Daniel cried, trying to curl up his legs. His wrists ached in protest when he tried to move them, and he realized that they were secured above his head, attached to opposite corners of the object that he lay on. Whatever it was, it was raised from the floor, not unlike a table of some sort. He could feel the smooth surface under his now naked skin, cold and hard. Turning his head a little, he could see that it was white with gray veins—marble? What kept him bound this time were metal shackles, and they were a bit tight. A cold, calloused hand grasped his ankle with a bruising grip, jerking it down and closing another manacle over it. He kicked with his left leg then, but it was captured much the same. Once that was done he was effectively secured on the spot. "_Please let me go_!" He pleaded with the creatures, though they only 'stared' at him with incomprehension. The faceless one was growling something that _almost _sounded like words, while the one with the pop-eyes leaned in closer as if to inspect Daniel's midsection.

"_Ha—don't touch me_!" Daniel yelped, though he could only scoot away a few inches at best. Stretched out as tightly as he was, he could barely bend his knees, and turning on his side was out of the question. The creature with the torn and flapping face stood up quickly, growling out more words—it _was _speaking, right? Perhaps he had lost it entirely. Or maybe he had died, and this was hell? Daniel thought he'd led a mostly good life! With several exchanges of grunts and gurgles, the two creatures turned away at last. They shuffled off, towards the dark half of what appeared to be a large room. Once they were out of sight, Daniel swallowed hard, taking his chance to look around.

The room was _huge_! The ceiling was several stories tall it seemed, and the moonlight was streaming down on him through a broken dome of stained glass up above him. He could see parts of the full moon through it. It created something of a wide circle of light around him, allowing him to see only so far. The floor was dirty, though he could make out some old carpet. Red, tattered and filthy, but it was there. He could decipher the vague shapes of what seemed to be benches in the darkness. Turning his head to the right, his eyes widened.

There stood a large statue, or what was left of one. A tall and imposing figure in robes, though its face was missing, as was one outstretched hand. It held a staff of some sort in the opposite hand, but the top of it was absent. Around its neck there was a stone orb of some sort. It seemed rather large for a pendant. This appeared to be some sort of church. And if this was a church, then Daniel _had _to be lying over an altar.

_Ist das__ein Witz?_

Daniel jumped at the sound of a voice. It was rich and deep, most definitely a gentleman's voice! Most startling was the fact that it had come straight into his mind without any possible origin. "_Ha…_" Daniel swallowed his near squeak of terror. "Wh-who's there?" He asked, voice shaking. There was a pause, and then the voice spoke again, this time in English.

_An Englishman? What is the meaning of this?_

"I-I don't know what you mean. Where _are _you?" Daniel strained to glance in all directions, chains jingling against the cold marble altar as he squirmed. The air was causing his skin to prickle with goose bumps, and his hip was throbbing from the cut left by the creature's bladed hand.

"Right here." Daniel gasped as the voice came suddenly from the right, turning his head in that direction. Standing just in front of the statue was a man. He was a tall man of slender build, with long white hair that fell down below his shoulders. He was mostly shadowed, but his red coat stood out, along with a streak of white for his ascot and his shirt. His pants were dark in color, he couldn't quite decipher which right now. But most shocking of all were the man's _eyes._

Those amber-colored orbs almost seemed to _glow, _like a cat's eyes reflecting the light of a candle. As the man stepped forward and into the pale moonlight, Daniel could see that he was well into his middle age. Even so he felt a sudden flush of heat spread across his naked skin at the sight of him, unable to deny the confident and regal attractiveness that this man gave off. It was almost unnatural! Daniel squirmed on the altar again, tugging at the chains. "Please, tell me what is going on! I've done nothing wrong! I'd only just come to town when they brought me into the forest… What _were _those creatures? What is this place? Who _are _you?" The man's eyebrows furrowed into a frown, and Daniel felt his heart skip a beat.

"They didn't tell you anything? I suppose that's just like them. Cowards and beasts, every one of them. Those _creatures _are my servants, and this is the Forgotten Altar. As for myself, my name is… I am called Alexander."

"Wh-why was I brought here?" At that question there was an almost amused lift of one white eyebrow from the man who'd called himself Alexander.

"Why, you're my virgin sacrifice." He said simply, giving a small sweep of his hand. "You _are _a virgin aren't you?" Daniel felt his blood run cold, and his jaw fell open in shock. He forgot to even breathe for a moment, too confused and lost.

"Y-you're joking!" He concluded, giving a high and nearly hysterical laugh. But Alexander only reached up to slide his red coat from his shoulders, dropping it to the floor with a plop of fabric that sent dust and dirt scattering. He approached the altar slowly, boots clicking on the hard floors. "D-don't come any closer!" Daniel struggled against the manacles now, mindless of the pain it caused his wrists and ankles. The sound of the chains echoed off the high ceiling, though his panicked breath was almost louder, peppered with high whines of near hysteria.

"_Do _calm down, boy. I haven't had a male in quite some time, so I'll be sure to take my time with you. The men of this world truly are disgusting beings. I'll enjoy wringing every last drop of sin from you before I end it."

"_M-men of this world_?" Daniel choked as Alexander came to stand at the foot of the altar, working on slipping off his ascot. "_What are you_?" the Englishman whimpered. Alexander stepped up onto the single stair around the altar, lifting his knee to climb up. Daniel strained to close his legs, but as it was his knees could barely touch.

"Do you believe in Gods, Englishman?"

"I believe in _a _God!" Daniel exclaimed.

"Well I am _a_ God. Do you believe in demons?"

"Y-yes! They're written in the scripture!"

"Well then, I suppose I might be a demon to you." Alexander mused as he got both knees onto the altar, his hands on either side of Daniel's hips.

"Wh-which _are _you?" Daniel exclaimed, heart thundering against his ribcage.

"I have been called many things in my time here. The God of the forest, the Demon of Brennenburg… But truly I am something else. You might say I am an Other." Daniel's expression showed his clear distress, but that only seemed to excite the man nearly on top of him. The mention of Brennenburg had caused a flash of recognition in his memory, but right now he was too panicked to comment on it. "Now I want _you_ to answer a few questions_, _Englishman. Do you think you can do that for me?" Daniel grit his teeth and nodded. "Good. Now, what is your name?"

"D-Daniel."

"Very good." Alexander praised, "And now, I do believe I asked you this one earlier… Are you a virgin, Daniel?" Alexander's tone was even and calm, though Daniel's face flushed with heat again. He wondered if he said no, if he would be spared. Sacrifices were supposed to be virgins, right? But then if he did lie and say no, what if this man—this Other—got angry with him and killed him? Swallowing hard, Daniel trembled as he nodded his head, unable to speak the words. He almost expected to be mocked for it. Mid-twenties and still a virgin! No one knew the truth about him, about _why _he had yet to become intimate with someone. Alexander gave a wide smile now, and the Englishman swore he saw fangs. "Oh, this is going to go just perfectly then."

"What are you going to do to me?" Daniel finally ventured to ask the question that had been plaguing his mind this whole time.

"I'm going to pull you down to hell, and then I'm going to bring you to heaven. I'll leave no inch of skin untouched, and by the end of the night you will be filled with me, covered in me, and consumed by me. How would you put this in your crude English tongue…" Alexander seemed thoughtful for a brief moment. "Ah yes. You're about to have the honor of being _deflowered_ by a God." Before Daniel could recover enough to protest with more than a shuddering breath, Alexander was bending down over the Englishman's waist. Daniel gasped as he felt a hot, wet tongue on his cold skin. Even more alarming was that it stroked right over the gash on his hip!

"_S-stop, don't_!" His pleas were ignored, and he felt hands slide between his barely-touching knees. His legs were jerked roughly apart with a strength that far defied the stature of the slender man over him. Alexander's chest could come closer like that, and Daniel couldn't close his legs without touching him, and yet spreading them further would have felt even worse, and so he simply attempted to scoot up higher on the altar. The manacles around his ankles put a stop to this before he'd made it in inch, and he let out a sound of pain as that tongue seemed to dig into the wound. "_Th-that hurts_!" Indeed that tongue seemed rather probing, almost sharp! It was ended with the seal of warm, damp lips and a greedy suction. "_Oh God,_" Daniel gasped, letting his head fall back to the altar at last, eyes closing and hips nearly arching upwards. Daniel's wound successfully cleaned, Alexander pulled back with a lick of his thin lips.

"There we are… Now I believe I can begin." Alexander commented with a smile. Sitting back up onto his knees, he reached back to touch the underside of Daniel's uninjured foot. Perfectly manicured nails ran along the underside of it, causing the Englishman to curl his toes and attempt to jerk away. "Sensitive. When working up an individual, one must always start at the bottom and work their way up." Daniel only shook his head, frantically trying to pretend this wasn't happening to him. But Alexander's other hand came to join the first, this one brushing his injured foot tenderly. Those soft fingertips slid up over the tops of his toes, trailing up along his calves next. As soon as they reached Daniel's knees, he would get another squirm.

Alexander dropped down again, nearly laying himself out on the altar with the Englishman. His left arm draped over Daniel's right thigh, while his right hand held the young man just under his right knee, keeping those legs from attempting to close on him. Daniel opened his eyes to glance down in panic, hands closing into fists around the chains that held him in place when those warm lips pressed against the soft, sensitive skin of his inner thigh.

"_Haa…_" Daniel's voice wavered, though he was wary of moving his hips at all. What if he tried to scoot away _now _and he was teased for enjoying it? Alexander didn't seem to mind either way, sealing those smooth lips over a patch of pale skin and giving a good suction. It stung, and the Englishman let a whine slip from his throat as he stared up at the broken stained-glass dome high above in dismay. Worst of all that sensation so close to his privates, lightly painful or not, was starting to create a very unwanted reaction! Alexander's tongue swept over the mark he'd left once his suction had relented, leaving behind a wet patch of skin which chilled quickly in the crisp night air. To Daniel's distress, another patch of skin was captured close by. This time he swore he felt a brush of sharp teeth, and he gave a small jolt of surprise. Alexander pulled back with a smile.

"Do forgive that, I almost became carried away." The demon—God—the man said in such a casual tone, as if he'd bumped into a stranger by accident. Daniel lifted his head again, but looking down while laying on his back only made his neck tired. Alexander's thumb came up to rub at the two red-purple hickies he'd created, and the Englishman mistakenly tried to pull his thigh away—effectively spreading his legs wider. "Sensitive? Did you enjoy that, Daniel?" The way the man said his name was like a velvet caress of his ears. It rolled off the Other's tongue with a very subtle inflection, almost tender even when the rest of his words were mocking or spiteful. As if he was being cared for and tormented at the same time. Daniel shook his head quickly.

"No, o-of course not!"

"No?" Alexander's amber eyes dropped to the member between Daniel's legs, which had begun to stir. "Is it because I am a man? Because I also have one of these?" Alexander's right hand moved up then, fingertips giving a butterfly's brush over that sensitive organ. Daniel let his head fall back with a thud, though not even the pain of that could distract him from that pleasant feeling.

"Don't touch—!"

"You're very bossy, Daniel. I think you have very little appreciation of who's in charge here. Are you this rude to _all _your elders?" Something about that statement offended the normally very polite Englishman, and Daniel tensed.

"Only the ones that are attempting to _rape _me." He muttered with venom, and Alexander only chuckled.

"I think you misunderstand… You're a lamb Daniel. A sacrifice, tossed into the lion's den to be devoured. Your body is no longer your own. It ceased to be the moment that you were placed upon this altar." Those fingertips moved to Daniel's hips, and Alexander's hot breath was close enough that it could be felt ghosting over Daniel's hardening member. Daniel whined in complaint, and his body was squirming again. Alexander's fingers traced just under the wound that he had cleaned, down along his pelvic muscle. It was there that he suddenly slid them under those tender sacs of flesh, earning a sharp and startled gasp from Daniel.

"_Please don't_!" He whimpered.

"Well now, it looks as if you've found your manners." Alexander sounded pleased as he rolled those delicate sacs with his fingers and the palm of his hand. Daniel's back curved into a perfect bow, toes curling again and knuckles white as they squeezed the chains securing his hands. Those warm, damp lips pressed tender kisses just below Daniel's navel. Each kiss produced a small wet sound when those lips lifted for another, as if he needed a verbal reminder to go with the physical sensation. Alexander's long white hair fell over his shoulders then, brushing against Daniel's skin like silk scarves.

Daniel's legs were trembling now, spread as they were for the man currently between them. His rebellious body was starting to sweat, his heart racing, blood rushing decidedly south. But wherever Alexander's lips traveled, and no matter how his hand handled those vulnerable sacs, he seemed to steer clear of the Englishman's growing erection. The manacles were cutting into his ankles, he could feel the sharp pains every time he moved them now, but it was only a minor distraction. "_Please, A-Alexander, please…_!"

"_Please what, Daniel_?" The gentleman asked, and Daniel could _feel _the humidity of that breath on his cock! Daniel gave a groan of pure frustration.

"_This can't be happening…hhss_!" His lamentation ended with a hiss as Alexander moved his face to Daniel's unwounded hip, sealing his lips again for another sharp suction. That hot tongue pressed at his skin, and he felt what he had surmised to be fangs brushing again. Try as he might to wiggle away, there wasn't much that he could do while _those _were being held firmly in Alexander's palm. Just when he was thinking it couldn't get any worse, he felt the Other's fingers sliding dangerously close to his entrance. Daniel attempted to lift his hips away. "_No—no please_!"

"Calm, calm," Alexander soothed. "Not _yet._" The word _yet _wasn't very comforting at all. Instead they pressed there, in the space just between his two most vulnerable of places. Daniel merely remained tense and panting, lifting his head again to glance down as if he could see what the Other was doing down there. Those searching fingers found something, pressing at it mercilessly, and sending such a shock of pleasure through Daniel's system that he cried out. His head hit the altar so hard that he saw bright lights flash across his closed eyes. Chains rattled as he struggled, breath hitching when that euphoric sensation failed to end, trembling from head to toe now as he dissolved into whimpers and groans of the sweetest agony.

Alexander's wet kisses trailed upwards, along Daniel's taunt stomach and up to his chest. His tongue swept over one pert nipple, just a moment before his teeth bit. "_O-ow! Ah! Oh God…_!" The pain from his wrists and ankles, from his bitten nipple, they only seemed to combine with the pleasure that he was feeling. Daniel's skin began to glisten with sweat now, his hair clinging to his face and neck. "_Oh, o-oh, please, please stop…_!" He begged, though his voice had taken on a much lower tone to it. Instead of that hysterical pitch it was now a breathy, husky whimper. Alexander's tongue bathed that sore nipple, and he smiled as he pressed up to gaze down into Daniel's face.

"Is that what you really want?" Alexander asked curiously, though there was a new shade to those amber eyes. They had become a touch darker, clouded with lust. Daniel's own eyes were filled with tears of frustration, and all he wanted was for this torture to end, one way or the other. But when provided with such a choice, how could he lie? Instead he swallowed, exhaling in a shuddering breath.

"_They hurt—please. M-my restraints._" He watched Alexander raise one white eyebrow, glancing up to Daniel's wrists, and then back over his shoulder to see his ankles. The shackles had indeed cut into skin, as they were made primarily for women. Daniel was slender, but he was no woman. His maiden was but a sexually repressed Englishman this time! Alexander's fingers left him, and Daniel gave a dry sob of relief. His gratefulness was short-lived, as now his body was left aching with unfinished pleasure. Every kiss had left behind a tingle, every mark a dull and pleasant ache, and his poor untouched erection was throbbing, _begging _for attention. It stood up proudly now, flushed a deep pink, precome gathered at the tip and glistening vulgarly in the moonlight.

"I will release your ankles if you promise me you'll behave." Alexander stated, and Daniel didn't hesitate to nod his head. Anything to have one less _painful_ reminder of his helplessness, as the pleasure was bad enough! Sitting back onto his heels, Alexander reached back with his right hand. Touching the shackle with the tips of his fingers, it clicked open. The sudden resumed circulation made his foot tingle all over, and Daniel groaned his thanks. The same followed for the other foot, the wounded one, and then the Other was turning back to his 'maiden'. Daniel was flushed and panting now, quite obviously aroused from head to toe. "You seem to be in quite a state, Daniel. Is there perhaps something that you want?" Alexander reached down, running his thumb up over one of the hickies he'd left on Daniel's inner thigh, earning himself a lift of those hips. Daniel's eyes darted away into the darkness of the temple, his lower lip taken prisoner in his teeth.

"_I…_" He began hesitantly, bending his knees a little now that he could, until his heels could touch the flat surface of the altar. Swallowing heavily, he glanced back with his eyes but not with his face. "_Please… touch me…_" Alexander smiled, and his expression was the picture of satisfaction. However, his next words weren't as kind as that face.

"I told you, didn't I? Your men are just _disgusting. _Shamelessly reveling in pleasure like the most base of animals, they are so easily seduced. If they can't receive it easily they'll beg for it. If they can't get it that way, they _steal _it." There was bitterness in that voice that frightened Daniel, and he flinched as he felt manicured nails bite into his thigh.

"I-I would never…!" Daniel protested. "_You're _the one that's… _forcing _me!" At this Alexander gave a slightly different smile and a small dismissive shrug of one shoulder.

"I suppose you're right. But after so many years of watching your kind act so selfishly… It's infected me, I fear." The Other lifted his fingers to his mouth, slipping two of them between his lips. Daniel could only watch in mild confusion as he did this, watching at him suck at them. The older man pulled them out soon after, a string of saliva glistening between those fingers and lips before it broke. Only as he began to lower that hand did the Englishman understand their intended purpose, and he gave a small gasp of surprise before they even touched him.

"_Not that_!" He begged, even though he felt a shock of arousal run straight to his groin at the thought of it. His thighs pressed in around the other's hips, making it impossible for that hand to properly get between them. Alexander frowned briefly, leaning down to rest his weight on his left hand so that he hovered above the once again trembling Englishman.

"Now Daniel, we can do this one of two ways. One of them will bring about severe pain and be nothing but pure anguish for you. The other will be painful at first, but pleasure will follow. Now, be a good little maiden and open your legs for me. Allow me to bring out the harlot you all hold inside of you, and you may just survive this." The threat wasn't even veiled, it was very blunt! Daniel thought to himself that if he was to die, he might as well do so after suffering pleasure instead of pain. And if letting that deeply repressed side of him out could save his life, then perhaps it would be worth the humiliation. Slowly, Daniel spread heels apart, leaving himself open for this God and demon of a man.

Alexander wasted no time in slipping his hand down between those legs, slick fingers brushing at Daniel's entrance. One of them slipped swiftly inside, and Daniel closed his eyes tightly, arching his back. His heels lifted from the altar, up onto his toes as he gasped, a voiceless cry. It felt… strange! Not painful or bad, but _odd_! Alexander was moving his finger back and forth, and Daniel could feel the heat radiating from his cheeks as he groaned. That single motion was thrilling, the sliding in and out, his body surprisingly sensitive there. He had never admitted to anyone how he had fantasized about that feeling, dreamed of it, and now he was finally experiencing it.

"That's good Daniel, just relax and breathe." Alexander instructed, and Daniel nodded his head. But the second finger was soon wiggling in to join the first, and he felt the first stings of pain. "_Relax, _Daniel." Alexander chided when he tensed, "You're awfully tight…" At this Daniel opened his eyes in offense, glancing up at the older man.

"_D-don't talk about it_!" He whined in complaint, shifting his hips. He tried to breathe, he did! But each heavy breath was shaking, and much too shallow to induce anything calming. Alexander chuckled, thrusting both of those fingers back and forth. It hurt now, and Daniel gave a few small grunts of pain, neck straining as he tilted his head back with a lift of his shoulders. Suddenly those fingers curled inside of him, and he felt the same shock of pleasure that he'd felt before those fingers had entered him. What _was _Alexander hitting that felt so _good_? Lips parted now, and the more the Other rubbed the more pleasure that rushed the Englishman's system, like opening the floodgates. "_Ah, yes…_" The pain ebbed, and Alexander began to go between thrusting and stretching those fingers and rubbing at his prostate. But those fingers were suddenly drawn back, and Daniel gave a whine of complaint. Even without his erection ever being touched, he'd felt so close to reaching his climax!

"Now we're close," Alexander stated, his voice lower again, filled with lust as he gazed down at Daniel's twisting, blushing form and teary face. "Now tell me what you want me to do Daniel. Tell me and I'll do it, all you have to do is _ask…_" Daniel licked his dry lips, turning his eyes to the Other, swallowing as he tried to force his voice to work again.

"_Please…_" He started, his voice breaking. Swallowing again, his voice came out much deeper, more desperate, and stronger. "_Please take me… Deflower me, ruin me…!_" One white eyebrow arched as Alexander heard those words, his smile reaching his amber eyes in its honest amusement.

"_There's my little harlot._" He praised, reaching up with his clean left hand to brush Daniel's hair from his damp eyes. Tears clung to his lashes, though they hadn't fallen. Daniel only winced at that word, though he spread his legs a little wider even so. Alexander sat up on his knees again, hands moving down to undo his pants. Daniel couldn't help but give a curious glance downwards, heart racing and chest tightening with guilt at how anxious he was to see what was about to be inside of him. Those eyes widened when Alexander's own full erection was revealed. It stood proudly from that thatch of white curls, larger than Daniel's own, which included both length and thickness. He closed his eyes as Alexander got back down, spitting onto his palm and spreading it over his arousal, biting at his lip as the Other moved up into place. He didn't undress, and Daniel was slightly disappointed, but as he brought his thighs up around those naked hips he took what comfort he could have in that.

"_Aaah…_" Daniel's voice rose suddenly in pitch as Alexander began to press inside, stretching his body beyond what he had been prepared for. Fingers curled around the chains that bound him, and he tensed from head to toes—which were curled up!

"_Relax,_" Alexander grunted as he paused. Saliva really wasn't the best lubrication, but he had been expecting a _woman _on his altar, so he hadn't brought anything to aid in this. With Daniel as tense as he was, and wholly unused to being taken in this fashion, it was tight enough to be painful. "_Endure… open yourself, my strumpet_. _Show me… how much you want to be defiled by this demon, your living God._" Daniel gave a swift intake of breath at those words, and he grit his jaw tightly as he fought hard to do just as he was told. He _did _want this, he _craved _it! Giving in felt so freeing, so sinfully good! He whined in pain as Alexander pressed on, but he remained relaxed as much as was physically possible. "_That's right, endure…_" Alexander lent down, kissing at the Englishman's face and neck. Tears slipped from the corners of Daniel's eyes to wet the hair at his temples, and Alexander kissed those away too.

Finally he felt those hips press against his supple backside, and the both of them took a short break to catch their breath. It stung, the pain throbbing and all too noticeable in such an area. After a few moments Daniel began to relish that feeling, even as it slowly faded away. Alexander pulled back enough to gaze down into the Englishman's eyes, and he seemed satisfied with the desperation he found there. So different from his earlier panic and fear, this look was one of a man freed of all his worries for but a few moments. And with that, he pulled his hips back.

The first thrust was painful, and it jolted Daniel's shorter body enough for his sweat-slick skin to nearly slide on the smooth marble of the altar. But Alexander held those hips tight—tighter on the side without the wound. His nails bit in for the second, and Daniel gave a small cry, but not even he knew whether it was pleasure or pain anymore. The third came, and by the forth there was a steady pace. It was heavy and swift, each one pushing the human to the very limits of his repressed sanity. Chains rattled, and the sound of heavy and ragged breath was outdone only by the vulgar smack of flesh, but it was soon contested by Daniel's voice.

His cries were quiet at first. They started out soft and keening, whimpers and low groans as the pain and pleasure wreaked a whole new kind of havoc on his overstressed body. But as the pleasure mounted, those hips striking precisely right in order to hit his prostate now and then, they grew in volume. Soon his moans were enough to fill the temple, echoing from the walls and off of the high ceiling. He opened his eyes to stare over Alexander's shoulder and see the full moon above. If he survived this, he knew he would never be the same. He could never go back to his quiet life in Mayfair, England. Back arched, thighs pressed tightly against Alexander's sides, and head tilted back, Daniel was in another world entirely. A world without pretense and falsehoods, and pretending to be like every other man to avoid the ridicule they would all give him if they knew. Perhaps this was the best thing that could have happened to him.

What better way for such a scholar to go? He'd studied ancient cultures for his entire life, his curiosity never slaked. His body was quickly wearing out, sore and overwhelmed from all of the treatment before hand. "_Please…_" His pleading voice was just as loud as his exclamations of pleasure, "_Please, Alexander—ha, f-finish me_! _Touch me, I can't… I can't take anymore…_!" He was half-surprised that the Other obliged him, shifting a little to bring his right hand down to Daniel's poor, very neglected erection. Those long, soft fingers wrapped around and began to stroke him with only as much mercy as his thrusts gave—none at all. Daniel cried out, back arching as he came almost instantly, shuddering with shame as he felt his own hot, wet substance splash across his stomach.

The sudden piercing, searing pain on the side of his neck was enough to evoke a gasping breath. Fangs cut easily into his skin, though those hot lips were around the two small wounds instantly. His body twisted in anguish as Alexander simultaneously drank his blood and thrust into his spent body, his tears welling up and spilling over again. He grew lightheaded, feeling a nauseous knot forming in the pit of his stomach. Somewhere in there came a euphoria, and the strangest sensation that he was floating. "_Oh, God,_" He gasped, and he felt the man above him tense, nails digging in to that grip on his hip. "_God, yes_! _Take it all, consume me… as you promised_!" Alexander broke that seal suddenly, and Daniel felt the hot trickles of blood flowing down his neck. He was shocked to find those lips suddenly pressed over his own, and even more surprised to find himself actively returning that kiss, tasting his own blood on those lips and tongue.

Alexander's thrusts grew short suddenly, his body tensing up and shuddering in release. The kiss broke for breath, Daniel's chest heaving for it, eyes but slivers of green as he stared into the amber ones above him. The Other's expression… he couldn't read it. White brows were drawn into a look of perplexity, and Daniel only smiled, still lightheaded and quite surfeit.

Daniel had become only the second human who had ever made it through Alexander's deadly embrace with his life.


	2. Victim Soul

A/N

Some of you have read about the first 5 pages of this, so don't be surprised if it sounds familiar at first! P-please excuse any mistakes, I was very tired when I edited this!

(Pssst, let me know if you'd like to see more.)

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Daniel awoke suddenly, eyes snapping open to greet nothing but the darkness. He gasped for breath, finding that the air chilled his lungs, and he moved to sit up. Overcome by a spinning sensation in his head, the Englishman quickly lay back down with a groan. Lifting one hand to his forehead, he discovered the cut there had almost healed; the wound from the expedition. His hip itched where it had been cut by that… _creature's _bladed hand, and his injured foot felt as if it was wrapped in a woolen sock. His wrists and ankles were all bandaged up tightly as well, and they felt suffocating.

The long white nightgown that he wore clung to his skin in some places, damp with sweat. His skin felt slightly clammy from head to toe, and he shifted in was when he came to the realization that he was laying on something comfortable. A bed to be precise, Daniel realized as his eyes begun to adjust to the dim light. Four thick wooden posts jutted up from the corners, and drapes of heavy curtains were tied to each of them.

Glancing to the side, he could see there was a window there. Taller than it was wide, its glass panes slightly rippled, the dying light of day was what cast the little light the room still held. Wait, it was evening? Daniel wanted to sit up again, but his body just felt so _heavy… _Both hands rising to his face, he tried hard to calm the rising panic inside his gut. His heart was racing, and there was something off about that too. He felt thirsty, his body was sore all over, and his head was aching. How long had he been sleeping?

"Awake this time, are you?" A rich voice spoke from the shadows. Daniel jumped, giving a small sound of surprise as he ignored his pains to press up to his elbows. There, just a few feet from the foot of the bed stood the man he wanted to see least of all. Holding a candle, the sphere of light that it gave off encompassed the Other from the waist up clearly. The older man was dressed in a fresh pair of clothes, untouched by dust or dirt like his others had been in the temple. A similar red coat, a white shirt with an ascot, an embroidered golden vest, and dark pants. That long white hair had not a touch of silver-gray as normal age would bring, he could see that now. Though it seemed strangely enough, Alexander's features were just slightly younger than before. But then, perhaps it had just been the lighting from the temple.

"Where," Daniel coughed; his throat dry and scratchy. "Where am I?" He tried again.

"You're in my home, so to speak. It is the place I have dwelled in for many years, at the very least. I was almost concerned that you wouldn't wake at all." With those words the Other moved around to the side of the bed, setting the candle onto the nightstand. Daniel scooted away a little, heart hammering behind his ribcage. "Calm yourself, Daniel, I'm not going to bite you… again. Not now, at least." Standing again, Alexander moved away to a small desk in the room. Daniel's hand rose to his neck, finding that it was bandaged as well.

"How am I… alive? How long have I been asleep?" He asked as he watched the older man lift a pitcher from the desk, filling a mug with water. Daniel swallowed on instinct, wanting that drink badly. To his surprise it was brought right over to him, though he regarded that outreached hand with distrust. Only when it started to pull away did he reach out to snatch it. A few drops spilled over the side, wetting his fingers, but he brought it to his lips fast enough not to spill it completely. He drank it down quickly, nearly choking on it once or twice. When at last it was empty, only then did he let the cup come away, gasping for breath.

"There you are, isn't that better? Here, let me get you some more." Alexander reached out for the cup, but Daniel held it tightly.

"Answer my questions first." Daniel demanded. He quickly paled at the sharp expression that he received, physically recoiling from the Other. "P-please." The Englishman added in a much more submissive tone. Alexander gave a small sigh, moving to sit on the side of the bed. Daniel tensed, unaware that his hands holding the cup had started trembling.

"You are alive because I chose to let you live. It's as simple as that, really. Had I wanted you to die I would have easily drained you completely. And you've only been asleep for a day, but your fever quickly became unlike any I have ever seen. Your skin was practically on fire, and you groaned so loudly that I could hear you from all the way down the hall. I came each time I heard you, but you couldn't be woken." Daniel frowned to hear this, though he remembered how he had woken up.

"I… had a nightmare. A very long nightmare. It was so _real… _At least, it felt so at the time." He brought one hand up to brush his hair behind his ear. "I can't quite remember."

"Vivid dreams are often a symptom of a high fever. It seems to have broken now, thankfully for you."

"_Thankfully_?" Daniel repeated, and his eyes began to sting as he blinked away the tears that were rising. "_Oh God,_" His voice shook, and he dropped the cup to lie onto his back again. "_What have I done_?" He moaned in despair as he covered his face with his hands. Alexander only sighed, reaching up to rub at his own temple. "_Why is this happening to me_?"

"Happenstance? Bad luck? The will of the Gods? I have heard all excuses known to man, though I sincerely doubt that any of them will make you feel better." Alexander's voice was toneless, bored.

"This wasn't supposed to happen! I was only passing through town!"

"Well then, perhaps 'Wrong place, wrong time.' would do?"

"I just want to go home! I thought this was what I wanted, to travel the world, but I was wrong." The Englishman was wiping the tears from his eyes stubbornly, and that was when Alexander gave a sigh. He turned his amber-colored eyes to the darkening window, hands clasped in front of him.

"I'm sorry to say that will never be possible, Daniel." This would earn the Other a look of pure hopeless and fear.

"Wh…_why_?"

"You are my blood sacrifice. Do you not remember my words from before? The moment you were laid out on that altar, you became my…" The corner of Alexander's lips tilted up. "My bride, they used to say." Daniel's face would have flushed if he wasn't so pale right now. "More than that, I accepted you. I broke a seal when I took your virginity, and when I took your blood into me we became… connected."

"C-connected?"

"Yes. I will always be able to find you, where ever you may go. It is the very reason that I kill all of my 'brides', you see. It would be such a hassle to leave them running about when I am through with them. A cruelty too. If they are not accepted by me, the humans of the nearby villages become… _upset. _They fear my wrath, and…" Alexander led off, and Daniel couldn't see that the Other's hands were trembling, clasped together tightly enough for his knuckles to turn white. Daniel swallowed, spitting out the next question that came to mind. Turning his head, he focused his gaze on the silhouette of Alexander's back.

"Why _virgins_?" There came a chuckle from that question, and the older man recovered.

"That was not my choice, but theirs. Humans are very superstitious creatures. I suppose it could be the fault of some of my own kin, I do not know for certain. For hundreds of years they have believed it was necessary to pray to a higher power, you know this. Some of us came to answer. It was a game at first, but some of my kin got carried away. We became Gods and Demons to your kind. However, why would we turn away a virgin? And it seems a shame to die like that, so think of it as a kindness." Daniel's body tensed, and he sat up fully now, though he gave a grunt of pain when he felt an ache..._there._

"You call this a _kindness_?" The Englishman muttered harshly, gesturing to his body. He touched his hip, and then his neck, glancing to one of his bandaged wrists. "What you _did _to me was no kindness! I _wish _you had killed me." Alexander slowly glanced over his shoulder, and Daniel swallowed. The Other was smiling.

"That is why I allowed you to live, Daniel. Your shame, your despair, I wanted to see it. When you woke to find yourself defiled and helpless, I made sure to be here. I do not take sacrifices for my own personal pleasure, not anymore. I do it to punish the arrogance of your kind. To keep them fearful of the monsters in the woods, of the Demon-God who would smite them and ruin their harvests if they angered him." There was a tinge of anger to that otherwise righteous voice, and it gripped Daniel's chest with anxiety. He had no idea what to say to any of that, so he simply looked away, laying back down slowly. A silence fell over the two men, leaving only the sound of the softly sputtering candle and their own quiet breaths. Finally, Alexander broke it. "Do you remember anything at all about your nightmare?"

"Why? Will you enjoy that too?" The Englishman asked, though when he received no answer he gave a sigh. "It's... coming back to me in pieces." Daniel said, barely audible. Alexander raised one eyebrow in amusement, a little curious. "It was dark, and I couldn't see… I had sand in my mouth, in my clothes, and the dust was so thick that I could barely breathe without coughing up a lung. And then… I felt something wet." Daniel swallowed, rubbing his hand onto the blanket around him, as if he could rid himself of the feeling. "It was _warm, _and it had a pulse. It squished when I rest my hand on it and it made me feel sick." Alexander was frowning slightly, but Daniel wasn't paying attention to him anymore. His eyes were up on the dark canopy above the bed. "And then there was a light." Something sparked in the Other's expression, and he bent his knee as he turned towards the Englishman on the bed.

"Blue?" He asked quickly. Daniel glanced over again, giving a small nod.

"Y-yes, I think it was blue… I tried to approach the light; I thought it was a way out. But my feet became stuck in the stuff on the floor, and I couldn't move." Daniel jumped as Alexander reached out to grasp his shoulder.

"The light, Daniel. What happened to it?" The Other asked quickly, and Daniel swallowed.

"I-I don't know. I felt something hit my head, but then I woke up—_ow_!" The Englishman protested as those bony fingers dug into his shoulder.

"Where do you come from, Daniel?"

"E-England!"

"Where did you come _here_ from? Why did you come to Prussia?" Alexander demanded, and Daniel's heart began to race with fear. He was sweating again, terrified of the man above him.

"A-Algeria! I-I was told to go to Brennenburg—"

"Did you bring anything with you?"

"S-some journals from the Professor and—"

"What _else_? What did Professor Herbert give you?" At that, Daniel's eyes widened a little.

"How do you know the Profess—_O-ow_!" Again his shoulder was squeezed, and Daniel swore something was going to break. "_That hurts_!"

"_What else_!?" Alexander's voice had changed considerably, become much lower, rougher somehow. Daniel's lower lip was trembling, and he dared not try and grasp the hand gripping his shoulder.

"_A… a sphere_!" At once Daniel's shoulder was released, and the Englishman brought his hand over it. Just another ache to torment his already abused body. Alexander was on his knees now, and he sat back with an expression of disbelief.

"What did it look like?" His voice had gone back to normal, but it wasn't much of a comfort. That grip had been as inhuman as Alexander's previous tone!

"About the size of an apple, and blue… it felt like glass, and it was smooth, but you couldn't see through it." Daniel paused. "…I suppose it looked like the light in my nightmare." Alexander was smiling now.

"I don't believe it. That old fool actually found one. Where is it, boy? Tell me quickly."

"Th-the villagers took my bag from me. They rifled through it before they drug me out to the forest." Alexander's expression soured a little again. "M-my nightmare… was that a memory? There was an accident…"

"Without a doubt. Well Daniel, this certainly changes things." Alexander moved from the bed then, standing and crossing his arms.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you might have a chance at going home. Ah-ah," The Other's finger rose, "Before you get too excited, know we have a lot of work to do. If I'm going to get the Orb back from the villagers, I need to do it fast, before they realize what it is that they have."

"What kind of work? Why can't we just go and get the… the Orb?"

"You're _full _of questions, boy." Alexander's expression contained a bit of irritation, but he seemed too excited to do much about it. "I won't lie; you're going to find the work very unpleasant. Just keep in mind that it's all for your freedom. And we can't exactly waltz into town because they _know _me, Daniel. And now, they know _you._"

"But you're a—"

"One more word out of you and I just might throttle you, Daniel." Alexander finally snapped at the Englishman, whose jaw shut fast enough that his teeth clicked. "Better. Now you'll have to excuse me, I have to get the preparations underway. There's water in the pitcher, and I'll bring more later if you wish to bathe and change. Oh, and Daniel." The Other's amber eyes flashed golden when they caught the light of the candle just right. "_Do _stay in your room. My servants are not yet accustomed to a guest, and they can be quite… hostile to intruders." Daniel swallowed hard and nodded. Alexander turned to leave, bending to pick up the candle from the bedside table, but he was surprised when he was stopped by a desperate voice.

"_Please_!" The Englishman begged. When Alexander turned back, Daniel averted his eyes. "…The dark. Don't leave me in the dark."

"Then I will return before the candle is out. You have my word…_my bride._" Alexander's smile was thin and wide, and Daniel caught the hint of sharp teeth behind it when he glanced back. He shuddered, though his face was burning in humiliation. And with that, the Other left him alone in the strange room with a single lit candle.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Daniel had fallen back into a semi-fitful sleep as soon as Alexander had gone. His body had been tired as it was from all the traveling, and now he seemed to be suffering blood loss on top of his otherwise superficial wounds. He was dreaming again. Darkness crept in from all sides, and he could taste the dirt and sand in his mouth. There would come a pressure on his chest, making it difficult to breathe, though no matter how he panted the air was just too thin to get enough oxygen. He woke from the reoccurring nightmare several times, sweating and breathing heavily, tangled in the sheets of the large bed. When this occurred for the fourth time, Daniel woke to only the dimmest of light. His head ached from laying down for much too long, and it only added to the general misery of his body.

The candle sitting on the bedside table was sputtering, threatening to send the room into darkness at any moment now. Shadows stretched and danced on the walls, twisting on the ceiling in places. For a few terrifying moments, the Englishman was unsure if he was still trapped within a dream! His skin itched all over as he watched those shadows move, listening to the spitting candle with a growing anxiety. He rubbed at his bandaged wrists, shifting in the bed, and licking his dry lips as he prepared to call out for someone. His throat tightened even as he parted his lips to speak. Who would he call for? He didn't want one of those creatures coming in! He swallowed, pushing himself to sit up slowly, pressing his back against the ornate wooden headboard.

He could call for Alexander. If the man was some sort of God or whatever he fashioned himself to be, would he hear? But then if he really was a God, he would hear thoughts as well, right? Daniel was almost sure that the man was nothing but a demon, playing God for small-minded heathens. What kind of people practiced sacrifices other than Satanists or ancient pagan cultures? There were dark cults in England too, but you never actually _saw _any evidence, merely heard the whispered rumors. But even demons had rules. If he could just learn them, Daniel was sure he could somehow get out of this alive. Return home to write about this experience perhaps! That thought only brought up the events of the previous night, and his face began to burn with a shameful heat.

Daniel wouldn't write about _everything _that had happened. How _good _the creature's hands and mouth had felt on his body, and how easily he had been manipulated into writhing in pleasure. He had even _begged _Alexander in the end; first for release, and then for death. Right now, death was the very _last _thing on Daniel's list of things that he wanted to accomplish! How could it be that his inhibitions have been so low? With one last, loud sputter, the candle went out. Even as Daniel grit his teeth and took in the breath for a whine of despair, he heard the click and creak of the door opening. With it came a light, much brighter than the candle had been! Even so, Daniel's heart raced just as much as the white-haired man came into view. The man was holding a lantern in one hand, and a small bowl in the other. Daniel's stomach growled all on its own, and he placed his hand over it as if to chide it. The Other wore a neutral expression as he approached the bed, setting the lantern down beside the dead candle.

"I do hope it wasn't out for too long." He said without the slightest inflection of emotion. Daniel shook his head, though his eyes had settled on the bowl. It contained a milky yellow liquid, and he could _smell_ the broth from where he was.

"J-just went out, actually. Is that… is that for me?" He inquired, lifting one hand to gesture to the bowl. Alexander chuckled, taking his seat on the side of the bed and offering it out.

"Of course it is. Do you think that I would be so cruel as to eat in front of you? Careful now, it's hot." He warned as Daniel reached for it. Taking it into his hands, the warmth seeped into his cold fingers through the china, and he gave a small sigh of relief. He accepted the silver spoon next—_genuine _silver! Stirring at the soup, he noticed that there were pieces of vegetables as well.

"Do you have other servants?"

"You could say I do. But the ones that stay are none other than the kind that brought you to me."

"Then… did _you _make this?" Daniel asked curiously, glancing up from the tempting soup and to the other man. Alexander raised one pale brow.

"Do you think I've poisoned it? Why would I waste my time with that, when there are _many _more interesting ways that I could kill you?" Daniel felt his face drain of color once again, and he shook his head quickly.

"N-no! I-I only meant to s-say, it's… That a demon would know how to cook! It's strange, that's all." Dropping his eyes back to the soup, he scooped up a spoonful, lifting it to his lips to blow on it before he slipped it into his mouth as a sign of good intentions. The excellent taste surprised him somewhat, and he let it saturate his tongue before he swallowed. "I-it's good." The smallest of smiles crept its way onto Daniel's face, glancing up to Alexander again. The expression that the other wore now was unreadable, but it was a step up from being angry. Daniel returned his attentions to the soup, blowing on one spoonful at a time and savoring the taste with each of them. After a while of quiet between them, Alexander turned his gaze to the window.

"I was quite fond of this world's delicacies, once. Before I learned to resent your kind, I used to wander among you. I thought it was endearing, how much work you put into the little offerings that you left out at the altars. Keepsakes, money, and most often food." Alexander's voice was calm now, and he seemed lost in his reminiscence. Daniel found himself listening intently, even if the voice inside of him was begging him to ignore everything about the demon but how to escape! He had gone to Algeria to learn of ancient sociology and the Gods they worshipped, but never had he thought he would find himself face to face with one! "They sacrificed animals first, of course. They would butcher them and smoke them over the fire, leaving things like the heart and the organs untouched. Somewhere along the line, they began to sacrifice _each other._" Daniel swallowed particularly hard, giving a small cough that drew Alexander's attention to him. The Englishman only tapped his throat a bit sheepishly.

"P…Please, may I have a drink of water?" At this the older man rose up, moving over to the pitcher of water. He filled the cup that Daniel had used earlier, returning to hand it over to the grateful young man, and carrying the pitcher with him this time. Bringing the cup to his lips, the Englishman drank slowly this time, letting the moisture return to his parched throat. Lowering the cup again, Daniel breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Alexander returned to his place on the edge of the bed, refilling the cup without a word. Daniel murmured a small 'thank you', having decided that being polite to this demon of a man was his best option for now. But curiosity nagged at him. "Do you… Does your kind always ra…" He felt his throat tighten, tongue tripping over the word, "…_Sleep _with their sacrifices?" Alexander only frowned, looking quite offended.

"Of course not. There are many ways to give sacrifice. Drowning, hanging, burning, or cutting out the still-beating heart." The older man gave a casual motion of his hand, and Daniel felt the soup that he had just eaten threaten to rise back up into his throat. Covering his mouth, he took a few careful breaths through his nose. Finally he lowered it again, focusing his attention on the soup that he was stirring slowly with the silver spoon.

"Then… You said we were connected now? Why bother to sleep with your sacrifices if you're going to kill them? It seems inconvenient to connect yourself to them in the first place, if you ask me." Daniel muttered that last part under his breath, though he caught sight of Alexander's squared shoulders from the corner of his eye.

"I don't believe I asked for your opinion." The self-proclaimed Other snapped. Daniel recoiled a little, hunching his shoulders defensively, but he didn't quite back down yet.

"Do you always kill them by… Drinking their blood?" Even mentioning it made the bandage around his throat itch.

"Usually, yes." Alexander seemed to be holding something back, but Daniel knew he would get nowhere fast if he pushed too much.

"Will you kill me, when I am boring?" He asked finally, though his voice trembled. Glancing up from the now room temperature soup, he locked eyes with the older man. "You said that you let me live so that you could enjoy my despair. What if I become happy?" Daniel frowned when his question was met with laugher from the Other. It was rich and smooth; so charming that he hated it.

"Do you really think that you can become happy here with me?" Alexander questioned. "You're an Englishman and a Catholic, Daniel. You were _born _to suffer."

"H-how did you know I'm a Catholic?"

"One can always tell these things. And a man as _repressed _as you are…" Alexander reached forth, resting his hand onto Daniel's thigh and letting his fingers curl around to the inside of it.

"D-don't!" The Englishman cried out, dropping the cup of water as he scooted away to the side. The yellow liquid spilled from the bowl in his lap as well, and Alexander pulled his hand back with a stern frown. Both eyes dropped to the comforter, which was now quite soaked in soup and water. Daniel swallowed hard, feeling panic creeping up along his spine. "Y-you surprised me!" He cringed when Alexander reached out, though when he felt the bowl lifted from the bed he opened his eyes, watching as the older man simply picked up the cup as well. Setting it into the bowl, he collected the spoon, setting all three items on the nightstand. Next he took a hold of the sheet, pulling it back and off of the young man who was half-covered by it. Suddenly exposed to the cool air, Daniel shivered as he drew his knees up to his chest, back still against the headboard. His nightgown had come up about his thighs, and he pulled it over his knees as much as he could.

"We need to see about changing the sheets and your bandages anyway. You've been sweating all day, and to be honest, you reek of it." Even though Alexander's voice held no mockery or spite, Daniel felt his face burn with shame. He hadn't even noticed! Pulling the stained sheets from the bed, Alexander picked up the dishes again. "Undress; I'll bring back water and towels along with the bandages and bed sheets when I return." The words were spoken with the kind of confidence that any man might use when no one dared to contradict him. Just as he headed for the door however, Daniel found his voice. It was quiet, hesitant, but he spoke up.

"M…May I at least have some proper clothing?" He asked as he curled his toes so that they would fit under the edge of the nightgown he wore. Alexander's steps never slowed, his voice a touch amused once more as he answered.

"Perhaps when you're feeling a little better. It's not as if you'll be going outside for a while." Just as Daniel drew in the breath to question that answer, the door creaked open, and he was distracted by the stark blackness that existed outside of the room. He couldn't even see the hall! Were no other lights on? Where exactly _was _he anyway? And before he knew it, Alexander was gone. At least he had left the lantern behind. Daniel gave a heavy sigh, allowing his legs to slip out from under the nightgown as he got up to his knees. There was no way that he was going to let Alexander try and bathe or re-bandage him! He scooted to the edge of the bed, sliding his legs over the side and moving to stand.

The pain didn't register quite as fast as the blurring of his vision as he fell to his knees, right hand tangled desperately in the bed sheets, though it hadn't saved him any. Just seconds after he had stopped moving, the wave of nausea and anguish swept over him. Daniel coughed as he freed his hand from the sheets, covering his mouth with it hand as the other pressed flat against the carpet. His ankles throbbed, and his injured left foot protested at the squatting position that he had dropped into. The carpet hadn't been thick enough to spare him the pain of hitting the solid floor below it, and so his knees reverberated with pain from the fall. He felt his skin grow a little damp with sweat from all the strain, and he could do naught but give a quiet, miserable whine as his nightgown began cling to it once more.

Even with this, Daniel knew he should consider himself lucky. Alexander seemed to be a bitter and strict man, or… Demon God, Other, whatever he called himself! Yet the Englishman had spoken freely with him for some time, and even spilled his soup that Alexander himself had made for him onto the expensive bed sheets while trying to get away from his touch, and he had not been reprimanded. In fact the man had gone to fetch things so that Daniel could clean up and change the sheets! None of that apparent kindness could make up for what had been done to him, of course. And Alexander had purposefully avoided the question as to whether or not he was intending to kill Daniel when he was through with him! The thought that he could only be alive as long as he was suffering wasn't comforting in the least. To Daniel it was akin to being trapped in limbo; suffering too much to live and yet not happy enough to die.

Slowly he lowered himself to lay out the floor, curling up on his side and focusing on how much colder it was down there as opposed to on the bed. Resting his cheek onto the old, roughly textured rug, Daniel closed his eyes and breathed in through his mouth, resisting the urge to cry. If ever there were a time that tears would be called for, this was undoubtedly it! Yet for the Englishman, tears meant defeat. They meant that he had given up and accepted his fate as a victim soul. To willingly suffer in order to appease this wrathful and confusing God of a man was the _last _thing that he would ever do!

Reaching up with his right hand, Daniel grabbed a hold of the thin sheet still on the bed. With one good yank, accompanied by a whine of pain as his bandaged wrist was strained, he pulled it half off of the bed. Wrapping up in what he could, the Englishman simply closed his eyes and let his exhausted body take over, letting the dull aches lull him back in to a deep sleep.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The sensation of being weightless was the first thing that Daniel became aware of. It was brief, lasting only a moment before he felt the chill of the air on his skin, and his back met something soft. The fabric was cool and smooth, worlds better than the scratchy blankets of the rock-hard beds he had been sleeping on while traveling to and from Algeria. Even better than his bed at home in England! Something warm and wet brushed his cheek, and Daniel was pulled from his more peaceful state quite suddenly. Heart leaping into his throat, his hand shot up to grasp at the source of that touch, fingers closing over one slender wrist. His eyes blinked, stinging from the bright light of the lantern as he tried to focus on the blurry shape above him. Rubbing his eyes with his left had seemed to help, revealing the seemingly amused expression of Alexander. "So that woke you up, did it?"

The older man glanced to his wrist, which Daniel still held on to. In it there was a white towel, damp with warm water. It dripped onto Daniel's arm, tickling as it slipped down along his skin. The young man released his hold, only then realizing that his own wrist was now lacking a bandage. The skin was raw in several places from the chafe of those metal manacles, but it seemed to have been cleaned while he was asleep somehow. Turning his attention to the left wrist, he saw that it was much the same. Truthfully the damage wasn't as bad as he had feared initially. All that he had known was that they had hurt terribly when he struggled, but it wasn't as if it was easy to stop in such a situation! Fight or flight, right?

"Satisfied?" Alexander asked, raising one white brow. "It was easy with you asleep. I do hope that you make a habit of sleeping any time that I need to tend to your wounds or bathe you."

"_Bathe me_?" Daniel's face was flushed with heat in an instant, and he suddenly became very aware that his nightgown was missing. "_H-ah_!" His yelp of embarrassment was almost as shameful as his current state of undress, turning onto his side with his back towards Alexander. It seems he'd been laid atop the new bed sheets, and so there was nothing to cover himself with. "You bathed me while I _slept_?" He gasped, as if surprised that he could be any more scandalized than he already was.

"To my credit, I did try to wake you. Besides, I've already seen every inch of you Daniel." The Englishman jumped when he felt two damp fingers press between his shoulder blades. His back arched away from them as they began to slide down along his spine, prompting a shudder of something that wasn't quite repulsion. "You wiggled and groaned under the cloth as I wiped away the last traces of fever from your skin. At this rate, I went through the trouble of heating the water for you to no avail. Even if I only did so because I knew you would complain if it was cold." Alexander added offhand. He dropped the cloth from the side of the bed, and it plunked into the bucket of water on the floor.

"C-could I p-possibly… get some clothing?" Daniel stammered, shivering increasing the longer that his damp and naked skin was exposed to the air.

"Soon." Alexander sighed. "But first, we must treat those wounds of yours. Give me your hand." Glancing over his shoulder, he could see that the older man was holding out his hand expectantly. Deciding that the last thing he needed was an infection, Daniel slowly turned halfway onto his back, still modestly trying to keep certain parts of his anatomy out of sight. Daniel's eyes widened with alarm when his hand was suddenly lifted up to the Other's mouth, giving a gasp of shock as he caught a glimpse of teeth as it opened.

"_Don't_—!" Daniel whined, wincing as he closed his hand into a fist, bracing for the pain. However what touched his open wounds was not teeth at all, but a warm, wet tongue. It stung as bad as any disinfectant, prompting a hiss of pain as he opened his eyes. The Englishman honestly wasn't sure whether he had begun to tremble with relief, or if he had started the moment that he became afraid. "_W-why are you…_?" His voice quaked as he spoke, not daring to even attempt to pull his arm free. Alexander's tongue swept deftly over each open wound and raw patch of skin, and it wasn't long before Daniel's wrist was tingling with pins and needles as the air cooled the saliva left behind. When at last his arm was released, Daniel pulled it back to his chest, cradling it gingerly. Alexander only reached up to wipe the corner of his lips, sighing heavily as if all of this was such a chore for him.

"It's better than any anesthetic, I assure you. Give it a moment and you won't feel a thing. Now give me your other hand." Those long fingers curled impatiently as he held his hand palm up. Daniel hesitated for a moment but it was hard to ignore the fact that, just as Alexander had promised, his wrist had ceased to sting or ache at all. With a hard swallow, he turned onto his back, then onto his side again, facing Alexander this time. He bent his knees up to his chest even as he offered up his other wrist. The Other took his arm gently, holding Daniel's elbow and hand as he bent down.

"_Mmh._" Daniel bit his lower lip to hold back another hiss as the wet muscle slid over the worst of the lacerations on his wrist. Any deeper and he really would have been in trouble with that one, but he'd hardly felt the pain because of the adrenaline coursing through him at the time. "_Aha, ow_!" He protested when those silken lips sealed over that cut for a light suck. "_That hurts_!" Daniel pulled at his arm now, sitting up with assistance of his free hand. Though his arm was released, he didn't miss the slight change in Alexander's countenance. The squared shoulders and calculated, alert gaze that fell over the smaller man was enough to make Daniel cringe. "I-I think that's enou—" The sudden grasp of two strong hands on his shoulders was enough to cut that statement short, and Daniel could only give a yelp of fear as he was pushed to lay back onto the mattress. His left shoulder was already bruised from Alexander's earlier show of power when he had questioned Daniel about the Orb, so there wasn't much that he could do in the ways of resistance.

"I'll tell you when I've had enough, Daniel." Alexander stated hotly. Those amber eyes hovering above his own were narrow, and they seemed to reflect the light strangely once more, creating the illusion that they were glowing. It _was _an illusion, right? Just his eyes playing tricks on him? Alexander lifted his right hand from Daniel's shoulder, though the relief of having the pressure off of that bruise wasn't enough to keep his teeth from chattering from the force of his trembling. The Other ran the back of his knuckles over Daniel's cheek gently. "What will it take to make you understand? Your body is…" He chuckled. "It is my temple, now. A house of worship and a resting place for my holy essence." Daniel's brows drew together, his expression caught between fear and anger, turning his head away from that stroking hand.

"_Blasphemy_!"

"Gospel truth_._" Alexander countered. He leaned down quickly, pressing his clothed chest against Daniel's naked one, moving his hands to grasp the Englishman just under the injuries on his wrists. Nuzzling in to the once-bitten side of the young man's neck prompted an arch of his captive's back. "It's been so _long _for me. You can't even _imagine_ the depths of my hunger…"

"_Don't_!" Daniel gulped, bending his knees to press at Alexander's back, as it was the only thing that he could do from this position. Alexander's breath was hot and humid as it flowed across that tender skin with a laugh.

"Don't what?"

"Don't… _bite_!" Daniel nearly sobbed, twisting as much as he could under that firm grip and heavy body. His lips parted for a shuddering intake of breath as Alexander's tongue slipped forth to bathe the marks his teeth had left behind.

"Just last night, you begged me to consume you." The Other reminded him, and Daniel grew still at the brush of sharpened fangs across his skin. "Are you telling me now that you do not wish to die?" Daniel's breath was fast and shallow, and he was growing lightheaded because of his racing heart. Before he could make up his mind, he felt a sharp pinch on his neck. It wasn't hard enough to draw blood, just a warning that he would!

"_No! Y-yes! I mean, I don't want to die_!" Daniel whimpered, tensing from head to toe as he felt those lips seal over old wounds for a soft, wet suck. "_Pl-ease…_" His voice quaked, breaking in the middle as tears stung at his eyes.

"_Sshhh, now._" Alexander whispered, placing a soft kiss to that slender neck before he pulled back. Releasing Daniel's wrists, he gazed down at the young man once more. A lock of his white hair slipped over his shoulder, brushing Daniel's cheek, soft as a silk scarf. "You don't _have _to die, Daniel. There _are _other ways to sate my hunger."

"Th-there are?" The Englishman murmured, both brows moving upwards in hope, blinking away his tears as best as he could.

"Oh yes, of course there are. But right now I need you to do one thing for me." Alexander's voice was soothing now, a tone that Daniel hadn't quite heard before. He swallowed heavily, nodding quickly.

"Y-yes, anything!" He knew he should have been wary when he saw the Other smile again, but he waited impatiently to be told what to do.

"I need you to lie perfectly still for a moment." Came the order, weighing heavily on Daniel's already anxiety-ridden chest. "Can you do that for me?" The Englishman drew in another deep breath, holding it for a moment before he nodded.

"_Yes._" He breathed quietly. Alexander leaned down once more, his soft lips placing a kiss to the middle of Daniel's forehead.

"Now that's my obedient bride." The older man chuckled, and though Daniel was far from amused, he didn't do any more than frown. Alexander picked himself up off of the other then, moving down so that he could slide his hands in-between Daniel's thighs, urging them to part. The young man tensed up, biting his lower lip and tangling his fingers into the sheets. It was either this or death, that was how he had understood it. And so he turned his face away, closing his eyes tightly as he slowly spread his legs for the Other, whom he was more sure than ever was really a demon. Alexander wasted no time in sliding in between them, and Daniel held his breath as the older man bent to kiss one pale thigh. Daniel's skin was chilled by now, damp skin exposed to the cold air until it dried and all! Alexander's ever so useful tongue felt _hot_ when it touched, tracing one purple red bruise left behind by his sucking lips the previous night.

"_Haa…_" Daniel's fingers clenched into the blankets, unable to resist a nervous shift of his hips. He knew exactly what that mouth could do now; it could _bite_! Having the dangerous demon of a man anywhere near there wasn't very comforting; no matter how good it felt! Alexander didn't waste much time, kissing or licking his way up, and then over the top of Daniel's hip. "_Ow…_" He winced when he felt the first swipe of a tongue over the cut on his hip. Though it was shallow, he'd reopened it with all of his moving around it seemed. Alexander lapped at that open cut gently, but more thoroughly than he really should have needed if he was just taking care of any pain there as he said. That long white hair fell free to tickle his skin again, just another pleasant but unwanted sensation for the troubled young man. "_Mmmnn…_" Daniel whined, finally working up the courage to open his eyes and glance down to what Alexander was doing.

Alexander's hands rested on Daniel's thigh and right hip, keeping him gently pinned should he go back on his word to stay still. His pink tongue ran the length of the cut again and again, though when the Other realized that the younger man was watching, he gave a smile. Those pale lips sealed over the middle of the cut, giving a small suck, which incidentally produced quite a sting. "_H-hey,_" Daniel gasped, attempting to press his hips into the bed and away from that unpleasant sensation. Alexander's fingers squeezed enough to intent the supple thigh that he held, and his nails bit into the hip he had his other hand on.

"_Ah ah,_" Alexander warned, pulling back just enough to glance upwards with those reflective amber eyes. "It was just a taste. But if you're so _eager, _I suppose we could move on…" His hands left the Englishman's body for just a moment, the left pressing into the mattress beside his hip, while the right slid up between Daniel's thighs.

"N-_no wait_!" Daniel pushed himself up to his elbows, scooting up and away from that hand by a good few inches. He cringed at the look of irritation that he received, stammering as he tried to explain. "It's… I'm rather sore!" The sudden grin from the elder only made him worry more, knees bending slightly to press his heels into the mattress, just in case he needed to escape again.

"Sore? Perhaps I should lick you _there _as well?" To this Daniel's eyes widened, and his blush spread from his cheeks to his ears, and even down his neck!

"_God, no_!" He exclaimed, bringing his knees up high enough that he could press his thighs together, forcing the Other to sit back on his heels.

"Though calling me 'God' is a nice change, I do not like being told 'no'." Alexander remarked, earning the most baffled expression from the young man that he had seen on anyone for a hundred years or more! Before Daniel could protest that he wasn't calling _Alexander _by that name, the older man chuckled, proving he knew that very well. "I do believe you've broken your word, my dear bride." Despite his amusement, Alexander's voice had become rather serious. Daniel swallowed hard, and what blush he had gained, he could feel slowly leaving his face as it drained of color.

"_I-I… didn't mean to…_" He nearly whispered, voice trembling.

"I suppose this is where I show you that I can be merciful as well as wrathful." Alexander brushed his hair behind his ear, moving to the edge of the bed and sliding his legs off over the side. "I'll forgive you this time, if you promise you'll be more agreeable to me come morning. If I can regain my strength, I have no reason to end your life. If I am to regain my strength, I have to feed. For that I will require a great deal of your assistance. And in return, I can do more than just allowing you to live. I can _teach _you, Daniel."

"T-teach me?"

"All in good time, my sinful little sacrifice." Alexander stood from the bed, adjusting his cravat and tugging his sleeves back into place. "I brought you some candles instead of the lantern. Can't have you wasting oil all night. Do be careful though, fire is a hazard either way." Reaching for the bedside table, Alexander opened the lantern, picking up a candle and lighting it with the flame. Slipping it into the candle holder, he lifted the lantern away in one hand. He fixed his gaze on Daniel then, his expression firm enough to make the young man hunch his shoulders. "You will _not_ disappoint me a second time. Understood?" Everything inside of Daniel screamed for him to refuse, to rebel! His soul would surely be damned if he gave in. This demon of a man had outright told him that he wanted him to suffer earlier! Was it all to make him fight to live? It couldn't be! Alexander's anger towards humanity was too genuine. He had no way of knowing what Alexander had planned for him, only that it wouldn't be pleasant. On the other hand, Daniel was afraid. No, he was _petrified_! Not only was Alexander willing to kill him, but he was sure it would be a horrible death! Swallowing hard, Daniel failed to keep his voice from breaking.

"_Yes._" He gulped. "_Yes, I-I un… understand._"

"Good." That razor-thin smile was back, and Alexander turned his back on the cowering Englishman, his footsteps heavy as he headed for the door. "I've left the bandages on the desk. Wrap your wrists, at least. The rest of you should be fine." Daniel remained quiet, curling up a bit tighter on the bed, turning his eyes to the candle. He heard the door creak open, and then close with a quiet click. He _had _to escape somehow! For the sake of his soul!

It was only then that he realized he was still naked, and that he hadn't been brought any new clothes. That was one way to keep him inside this prison of a room! The bride of a demon indeed…


End file.
